A new F90 BMW M5 prototype was spotted last week near the Nurburgring giving us a closer look at its interior design, along with the exhaust note and acceleration sound. The spy video reveals the new 8-speed automatic transmission shifter which looks closely in design to the one seen in the Concept 8 Series. Other interior details reveal a red push start button, exhaust flap button, M1 and M2 buttons, and carbon fiber trim.
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The F90 M5 was recently previewed by BMW when it allowed several journalists to take it for a ride around the Miramas track, BMW’s secret testing facility in France. The new F90 M5 is packing a variant of the same S63 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine. In this new M5, it makes “around” 600 hp, though BMW was a bit mum on the exact details. Though it puts it right there with the Audi RS6 Performance and the Mercedes-AMG E63 S. It also packs 516 lb-ft of torque, which is up a bit from the previous car.
Also for the first time, the M5 sporty sedan will be available with an M xDrive all-wheel configuration. The M xDrive system enables the rear-biased set-up by only bringing the front wheels into play when the rear wheels aren’t able to transmit any more power to the road and additional tractive force is required. The driver can choose from five different configurations based on combinations of the DSC modes (DSC on, MDM, DSC off) and M xDrive modes (4WD, 4WD Sport, 2WD).
The rear differential is based off the one in the M3 and M4, but it receives carbon clutch blades for quicker and more precise torque vectoring.
We’ve also previously learned that the new F90 M5 can get from 0-60 mph in under 3.5 seconds, which makes it the fastest accelerating BMW ever made.
We expect to see the fully unveiled F90 M5 this Summer, followed by a public introduction at the 2017 Frankfurt Auto Show.
I don’t like Mercs, just because the brand tends not to value the same things I do in cars, not because of lame tribalism, but the E63 AMG S craps all over this thing when it comes to sound. It has such a brutal, hard as nails V8 sound, even compared to NA V8s. This is just weak. Seriously WTF BMW? Is the M2 an accident? Is there no one over there who cares about how M cars sound? It’s just tyre roar and wind, no doubt with fake sound being played through the speakers.
As far as the note is concerned, it’s up to your preference, but there is definitely more than “tyre roar and wind”. I’d like to point out that the tyre sound is a good sign especially when the car corners that flat and stays stable: it’s capable of using the four tyres efficiently. Watch the GT3 and the ZL1’s Nürb lap, these are amongst the loudest car out here but you can still hear the tyres screaming for help, because they’re that loud.
Here is a video from July 2nd, i dare anyone to say this car has no exhaust sound. I double dare you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6utNSRpAKk&t=62s
But it doesn’t sound good! Every time I hear my M2s exhaust my spine tingles and I thank god the ICE exists. Now apparently someone will pay more than double the price for something that sounds like a cross between a hair dryer and a hedge trimmer. Here you are having to argue and convince people that this sounds good, like it’s some Yoko Ono album and we just don’t get it. Seriously, M car sound, or the lack thereof is a real problem. The M550i sounds incredible, no one needs convincing there, why can’t the M5sound as good?